


Restless and Red Works

by fightmefairy



Series: Our OC's [5]
Category: Original Work
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-05
Updated: 2019-11-04
Packaged: 2021-01-23 08:55:48
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,055
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21317506
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fightmefairy/pseuds/fightmefairy
Summary: Works surrounding Restless and Red
Series: Our OC's [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1536754





	1. One Last Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Red finds out something life-changing for both her and Restless.

“Red?” Restless peaked his head into Red’s office, it was an organized mess as ever and she sat at her desk stamping a round of paperwork. “You wanted to see me?” Restless questioned wondering why'd she go through the trouble of calling him in using a request form rather than just stopping in his room. It was odd and formal, not of the usual. Red looked up from her paperwork and took a moment to recognize Restless, this formality was strange to her also it seemed. She motioned for Restless to step onto the room and he did. Typical as usual he bound into the room sitting on the plush couch with a loud thump. Red set her stamp down and stood, walking around the desk to the front and leaning on it. She looked worried about something. 

“I know you're busy but I wanted to give you a word of warning” Red said leaning for a white teacup decorated in roses. Restless has found it when he went back to visit his childhood home and found barely half a usable set of teacups. He gave them to Red and at first, she seemed unamused but it soon became her daily used cups. Restless looked over her then over himself. 

“Whatever you heard Reese started it” Restless admitted too loud, too quickly. For a second Red’s face softened and it made Restless reflect along with her. Something wasn't too terribly wrong if she was drinking a tea and not straight from a bottle of rum. Restless could handle this. He could handle anything. 

“Reese resigned this morning” Red breathed out, slight amusement in her voice. She took a sip from her cup as Restless tried to wrap his head around the words. “I need a favor-”

“Whatever you need. I'll go see him right now. I'll set him straight for you. You get to your work” Restless sprung to his feet and started for the door but quickly after he felt the calming but firm grip of Red on his wrist. 

“Talk less” Red said pulled him closer and away from the door. “He's stepping down so he can be General for a bit before-” 

“He's trying to replace you? I know me and him are destined to be together but there's no way he can beat you as General”

“I'm stepping down. I'm done being General” 

The words hung in the room, heavy and pressing. Red looked at him, the worry in her eyes obvious and she searched Restless’s face for some sort of reaction, a response. Restless though was at a loss for what was happening. He had heard what Red said. He wasn't that illiterate he could understand human speech but the words, the meaning he didn't understand. I'm done being General. What could Red mean? Wasn't that the only thing she worked for?

“What” Restless said as quiet and confused as Red had ever heard him. 

“Relax, have a drink with me” Red pushed him onto the couch again but this time Restless didn't lounge against it, his legs didn't find themselves tucked under him and he certainly wasn't going to sleep soundly on the couch while listening to Red work. Red leaned over the coffee table and poured a cup of tea for Restless, gently setting it down on the fragile glass table. Restless looked down as the steaming cup for a couple seconds, “Let's take a break tonight and we’ll teach them how to say goodbye. You and I” Restless blinked up at Red. He was possibly mad but looking at her drink from her cup of tea, she looked so calm now that she had broken the big news. He couldn't be angry with her when she actually looked at peace. 

“Everyone expects you to lead until this war is over. They want you to lead them Red. You can't just leave them behind” Restless argued, hands becoming fists above his knees. 

“I have to give a speech and I'm gonna tell you the topics I plan to cover and you’ll tell me if I cover everything” Red set down her cup which Restless saw now was simply a cup of water. “I want to talk about neutrality” 

“In the middle of this war-”

“I want to warn against political parties and fighting” 

“But-”

“I want to talk about what I have learned. The hard held wisdom I have earned” 

“As far as the people are concerned you could continue to serve” Restless jumped to his feet, knocking his knees against the table. 

“No!” Red rose herself. Face fallen but still calm. She walked over to Restless and grabbed both of his hands and looked into his eyes. As one point she has been taller than him, when had time flown by so fast. Now he was as tall as her and only seemed to be growing taller. 

“Why do you have to say goodbye?” Restless couldn't lose someone else. Not this one, she was too special. 

“If I say goodbye the nation learns to move on. It outlives me when I'm gone” Red sat down gently on the couch, pulling Restless down with her. She held his hands tightly, trying to be reassuring. “Like the scripture says ‘Everyone shall sit under their own vine and fig tree and no one shall make them afraid they'll be safe in the nation they made’ I want to sit under my own vine and fig tree, a moment alone in the shade. At home in this nation we’ve made” Red reached into her jacket pocket and pulled out something that looked like a bit like a thermometer. 

Her hand shook slightly as she held it out to him. Restless simply looked at it hesitating to take it from her. Red sucked in a breath and pushed it into his hands. He wanted to drop it, whatever it was had to be the reason Red was leaving. Red was more tense then she was before, still holding in her breath. He looked down at the tiny white plastic device in his hand. Upon closer inspection Restless noticed two words across the plastic: pregnant and not pregnant. Looking at the little window Restless saw two thin red lines in it which according to the printed gray words meant pregnant. 

“But how?” it was the only thing Restless could think off. The only question that could make sense. 

“Two months ago we got really drunk. You got really drunk. I don’t remember much but we woke up naked together and I’m at two months,” Red said as her hand ghosted over her stomach. 

“It’s mine?” Red let out a bark of a laugh and nodded. 

“Who else would it be?” her soft expression returned. Restless looked between the pregnancy test and Red. Thousands of thoughts raced through his head but the one that pounded the loudest in his head, “You’re gonna be a father.” 

“I’m gonna be a father!” Restless’s voice boomed loud and proud as he tossed the test aside and lifted up Red. She giggled as he lifted her to him and rested her against his stomach keeping her up. She smiled down at him and he smiled up at her, seeing all the genuine love in her eyes. “We have to tell everybody! I have to tell John!” 

Red patted his shoulder silently asking to be put down. Restless did as requested but not before grabbing Red’s wrist and dragging her out the room. He ran down the hallway yelling for each and every person on the base to meet in the cafeteria. Before Red could even protest they were in the cafeteria surrounded by everyone. Red could name every face in the crowd, tell you what they were good at, what their home lives were like. This would be the second time they would know anything personal about her. Second only to the fact that she has slept with a soldier and fallen in love with him. 

Red cleared her throat to quiet down the crowd. Everyone looked up at Red, including Restless who stood right next to her. In the back of the room, Red spotted Reese, leaning against the wall with a smile cocky yet reassuring. 

“Though, in reviewing the incidents of my administration, I am unconscious of intentional error, I am nevertheless too sensible of my defects not to think it probable that I may have committed many errors. I shall also carry with me the hope that my country will view them with indulgence and that after 25 years of my life dedicated to its service with an upright zeal the faults of incompetent abilities will be consigned oblivion, as I myself must soon be to the mansions of rest. I anticipate with pleasing expectation that retreat in which I promise myself to realize the sweet enjoyment of partaking, in the midst of my fellow-citizens, the benign influence of good laws under a free government, the ever-favorite object of my heart, and the happy reward, as I trust of our mutual cares, labors, and dangers” 

The crowd was silent for a moment before turning into an uproar of cheers and claps. Red’s face filled with a huge smile and face blushed a faint pink. It was rare to share her feelings so directly. 

“In other words: We’re gonna be parents!” Restless yelled, causing another wave of cheers and congratulations to whip through the crowd. Red’s hand found itself on her stomach again. Stepping down from being General, falling in love, being a mother. Those were all things Red never thought possible for her yet here she was, love of her life on her left, brother ready to take her position, and a baby she didn’t know but loved so much in her body. 

“Congratulations General Red,” she turned her head to find Reese holding up a glass of scotch. Stress was already taking over him. “You’re going home!” 

“General Red’s going home!” The room rung out in a cheer. A dumb cheer their base had adopted a long while ago. Red had seen soldiers off many times, some sadder than others but to hear it for her was another emotion. 

“One last time!” Red cheered back holding up her own fist in the air. Life was changing.


	2. Ladybug

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reese reflects on watching Red grow up.

“Restless, I bet you were as cute of a little kid as you are now,” John chuckled as he ruffled Restless’s hair. Restless clung onto him, snuggling into his touch. 

“No, I was a bad kid. That’s why mommy tried to get rid of me,” Restless replied a bit too cheery. John held him closer. 

“Restless, didn’t Red tell you to stop talking like that,” John’s voice immediately sunk down. 

“Yeah but it’s okay! I bet you were a super good kid John!” Restless smiled up at him, continuing the positive conversation. 

“No, no. I was an average behaved kid. Not particularly cute or anything,” John shyly replied, awkward at talking about himself. It was rare he thought anything overwhelmingly positive about himself. 

“That’s not true. I bet you were a cute kid,” Reese joined the conversation, sitting down across from John and Restless. 

“Reese!” Restless called out, moving from snuggling with John to attempting to snuggle with Reese. “I missed you my lovely boyfriend.”

“I’m not your boyfriend. Get off,” Reese struggled against Restless, eventually giving in. 

“Were you different as a kid Reese?” John asked. 

“I’m not much different than I was then,” Reese replied as Restless snuggled into his face. 

“If you’re not different I bet Red isn’t any different either. Probably always the strict determined general,” John said with a laugh, imagining a small militarized version of Red. 

“Red’s not strict! She’s nice,” Restless fought back. 

“Yeah nice to only you. She spoils you by Red standards,” John laughed. 

Reese let out a soft chuckle of his own. “Red is...Red. She always has been,” Reese didn’t provide anymore information. If Red knew they were asking about what she was like as a child, she would kill Reese for even thinking about telling them anything. Reese wasn’t wrong when he said Red was Red. She had always had a strong personality from the get go. Reese remembered when she was born very well. An average sized baby with a full head of hair and these eyes that looked up at you, always observing and watching. 

“What’s her name?” Reese asked his mother when he finally set eyes on her. 

“Her name is Red,” their mother softly answered, graceful even after giving birth. 

“Like a ladybug!” Reese cheered, happy to have a younger sibling. 

“Yes, just like a ladybug. Such a clever boy,” She praised him as she handed him Red to hold. Reese knew he loved her from the moment he saw her. A perfect little sister for him to adore.

The two of them had been ten years apart meaning Reese had a hand in raising Red. In between both their lessons. Red was following behind Reese wondering what he was doing. They were so close when they were younger. Red was smarter than Reese had been at her age. Being able to read at a highschool level at six years old was impressive.She still had a way to go to truly understanding what the text meant but she could recite back what she read with no problem. Their parents loved her brain, training it with all sorts of stimulating skills. Maths, sciences, arts, Red’s day was packed full of knowledge. But at night, when she was supposed to be sleeping was when Reese would find Red sitting on his bed with the only two toys she had even k=owned waiting for Reese to be done with his training for the day. 

“Ladybug,” he would say to her, “What are you doing here? You;re supposed to be sleeping,” But as always she would insist on staying up to talk to Reese. Telling him all about her day. Going through all the fun things she learned, how she wished she could play with him, and all about the boy in her class that would pull her hair. Their mother told her that the boy had a crush on her but Reese told her just to punch him in the mouth to get him to stop. Red would eventually fall asleep in his arms and he’d enjoy the company for a little bit, using Red to pretend life was normal. 

Before his eyes Red seemed to grow more and more everyday. And as Red grew so did the expense of the war. Their kids were old enough to live on the berrics so their parents moved the two of them to live in the military base. While Red stayed most days by their mother’s side there were times she;d sneak down to where all the men and women in the army stayed. Reese remembered how much they all loved Red, smart and quick witted. She was strong too. At the time she could almost take Reese down by herself and she managed to take out the less experienced soldiers with no problem. They all loved the little girl with the pretty long black hair and flower patterned dresses. Reese was happy to be with Red. They were a happy family. That was until that night. 

“The war is getting bigger and bigger. We can’t afford to lose such a brilliant mind,” their father said sternly. It wasn’t a question up for debate but god Reese wished it was. 

“She has been groomed to be a prized wife and a weapon of espionage for years now. Can you really use for as a general?” Their mother replied, unconcerned for her daughter’s well being but rather the plan itself. 

“She’s a little girl not a weapon,” Reese breathed out from under his throat. Their parents looks at him, father’s face quickly turning cold. 

“Son would you like to repeat yourself?” his father asked tone tipping somewhere dangerous. Any other time he would have kept his mouth shut. Any other time he would have conceited to his father. But this time it was about turning his little sister into what he already was, a mindless well behaved killing machine.

“She’s a little girl. You can’t just use her for something like that. You have other generals. Why can’t you wait until she’s grown up?” Reese pushed, strain in his voice threatening to break it. 

“We have a war to fight. No one is safe. She is useful now. Prolonging it and hiding her from this world won’t do her any good. I would bite you tongue and apologize now. How selfish would she think of you, caring more about her then the fate of the world. I thought I raised you better son,” their father’s words stung in all the places he knew they would. Reese had always had a weak spot of selfishness that could be easily used against him. He knew that. But was this really one of those moments were he was being selfish? If they made Red becoming a major part of the military at thirteen where was the line drawn? 

The door closed loudly behind them followed by the sound of running. Red has been listening in on them and none of them knew. Why would they have known? Red was already perfectly trained to be silent. Reese rushed out of the office after her but he couldn’t find her. No one could find her for the rest of the night.   
The next morning Red showed up in Reese’s room to wake him for breakfast as she always did. Only this time she wasn’t in one of the flonsey dresses their mother put her in and her hair reached barely to her shoulders. Reese looked on in shock. Where there once childish joy was no replaced with a military uniform a little too big for her. 

“Ladybug, what did you do to your hair?” Reese said as she stood up and gripped her shoulders. Red looked startled for a second but quickly replaced it with an emotionless face. 

“Mother said long hair gets in the way of combat so I cut it off. It’s just hair. Training will be easier now,” Red said. Reese looked on in what felt like horror. No. She was too young She didn’t have to understand the horrors of war yet. 

“Red you don’t have to do this. Father is just thinking about it,” Reese held her shoulders tighter. This was his baby sister. The one he helped raise. Part of him always knew it would end like this but he never wanted to admit to it. 

“No Reese. I have to. You heard Father. The war is only getting larger. I have to fight now or my upbringing doesn’t matter. It’s breakfast time. I won't bring it to you,” and just like that she was out of his room. When had she gotten so wise? Reese didn’t know. But what he did know was that every day she became more and more closed off. She focused so hard on becoming the perfect soldier. The base felt empty without her skipping through the halls and interjecting conversations with more knowledge than anyone should have. 

On her sixteenth birthday was when she was to organize her first battle. She had already seen combat. Already taken a life. And every day Reese prayed that one day she would get to stop before she couldn’t turn back on the damage. Reese was only twenty six and his hands reflexively checked for his gun with every corner he turned. He could only imagine what was happening to a young girl. Red had returned to the base that night. Shell shock was clear in her movements as she tried to hide it. Reese had heard from down the grapevine that almost everyone under her command had died. It was a weight too heavy for anyone to bare. Reese had just managed to catch her before she slipped into her room. 

“I heard what happened. This isn’t your fault, Ladybug,” Reese reached out his hand to grab her shoulder but she quickly dodged it. As he looked at the scowl on her face in her eyes he found a feeling all to familiar. 

“Don’t call me that! How the hell is anyone going to take me seriously when you still treat me like a child?” When she spoke Reese could smell it i her breath. The familiar stench of alcohol. The eyes threatening to spill all her secrets and all the emotions you’re hiding. 

“Lady-...Red you shouldn’t be drinking you’re only sixteen,” Reese tried to reason. 

“I’m also a General. I’ve been an adult for awhile now. I don’t need you here to tell me what to do. Don’t you have your own people to take care of,” She quickly shut the door in his face. Reese stood there only for a second before giving in and turning away from his sister. And just like that, it was over. Red wasn’t a kid anymore. They spent more and more time apart as Red perfected her skills and Reese led his own battles. Growing a shifting, Reese losing sight of who was once his precious little sister. That was until him. 

“My love you look sad. What are you thinking about?” Restless said while poking at Reese’s forehead wrinkles. 

“I wasn’t thinking about anything. Just zoning out,” Reese replied removing his finger from his forehead. Restless giggled at that and left a freckling of kisses all over his forehead like his kisses would make years of stress wrinkles go away. 

“What are you two doing relaxing in my office? And what are you here for Reese?” Red deadpanned as she stepped into her office. 

“Red welcome back! How was your meeting?” Restless asked as he used Reese as a stepstool to get to Red. Red leans in and gave him a quick kiss over Reese. 

“I tried to keep him in the training room but he insisted on coming here to color you a picture,” John said as he stood up. 

“Yeah! Do you want to see it?!” Restless proceeded to bounce as he spoke, crushing Reese as he did. 

“Of course baby,” Red replied face softening a bit as she watched Restless scramble to pick up the drawings from the floor. Restless returned to Red with slightly crude drawings that only she would be able to decipher. “Is this me? Why is my hair out? I never wear my hair out.” 

“You have your hair out when we have se-,” Red quickly covered Restless’s mouth silencing him. 

“Remember. That’s a thing only between us,” Restless left out a giggle as Red scolded him probably used to this same argument. Restless reached behind Red and quickly pulled the pin holding up her bun out of her hair. Red grabbed Restless’s cheek as her hair tumbled down from the bun. “What was that for? You’re such a little kid,” A smile danced on her lips as she spoke to him. 

Reese moved before he could think. “Ladybug” he slipped put in shock as he grabbed Red’s hair, running it through his finger. For the split moment, for the smallest second she was there again. The old little sister he held to deeply. Red’s face completely flushed and she jerked away from Reese, quickly going to tie her hair back up. 

“Lady...bug?” Restless questioned as he looked up at Reese. 

“That’s what I used to call Red when she was little. Because her name’s Red like a ladybug,” Reese explained as Red grew more embarrassed. 

“I’m not a little kid. I had you stop calling me that years ago,” Red huffed, strolling over to her desk. 

“Ladybug. Such a cute name for such a tough women,” John joined the conversation, chuckle in his voice. 

“I think it’s cute! Ladybug! Ladybug! Ladybug~” Restless sang spinning in a circle. 

“You have three seconds to run for your life,” Red scowled at Reese. Reese laughed only for a moment before booking it out of the door attempting to avoid his sister’s wrath. His little sister was still there after all these years. All she needed to come out was someone to finally understand her.


End file.
